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Climate Change: 9 Parts Of The World We May Not Be Able To Save

6 min read

The world is changing. With Leonardo Di Caprio’s new documentary, Before the Flood (you can watch it below) making waves across the globe, it reinforces the stark reality that the planet is suffering…and it’s our fault.

31 countries may have now ratified the historical Paris Climate Agreement but there’s a very long way to go in the fight to reverse climate change. Even if the ‘1.5 degree rise in temperature’ target is achieved, for some beautiful places across the world, it may not be enough.

If you want to experience all this, the clock is very much against you.

The Dead Sea Is Dying, Israel/Jordan

An ecological wonder. A place filled with historical and religious significance. The Dead Sea is dying and it’s no joke. The world’s saltiest lake is practically impossible to sink in such is the levels of salt (9 times more than the oceans) but it’s drying up. Baking underneath the Middle Eastern Sun, a third of it has already evaporated and the opportunity for that ‘reading the paper’ selfie is drying up with it.

The Lowest-Lying Country In The World, The Maldives

The Maldives is a world renowned, tropical paradise but could become the ‘next Atlantis’ in the next 30 years. That’s a pretty catastrophic version of events but it’s estimated that, with the majority of the islands only a metre above sea level, they will be significantly altered at least.

The Andean Glaciers, Peru

Another impossibly beautiful part of the world that is rapidly disappearing due to climate change. Peru may be more commonly known for Macchu Pichu and Cusco but 2,500 stunning glaciers have lost 34% of the their mass in the last 30 years.

Scientists estimate that regardless of strategies to reverse or slow down climate change, these glaciers may not survive the next 40 years anyway.

The Sinking Seychelles

Another ‘Atlantis’ candidate as climate change will likely claim yet another chain of islands in the Indian Ocean, robbing honeymooners of surroundings like this…

Another three feet will make the majority of the Seychelles uninhabitable and even if last December’s historic Paris agreement to limit global temperature increases to 2 degrees, that could still mean six metres!

Is Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Gone Already?

This vicious rumour raced throughout people’s newsfeeds in the last week with captions of ‘RIP Great Barrier Reef’ being reacted to by many with A cursory sad emoticon on Facebook.

The truth is, no the Great Barrier Reef is not dead yet, but the plug of their life support machine is on the brink. It’s estimated that 93% of the 1,400 long reef the victim of coral bleaching.

For anyone who has had the honour of diving or snorkelling through this underwater oasis, you’ll know how special it is. With the long-term prognosis looking very bleak, this is one to tick off asap.

Skiing In The Alps, Could Become Hiking In The Alps

The melting situation in the Alps is getting so bad that it’s oldest glacier, Rhone, is being covered in blankets to stem the flow of liquid!

It may seem extreme but the blankets help shield the glacier from the sun’s heat

The tallest peak in Europe, Mont Blanc, could eventually be completely absent of snow

The Alps lies at a lower altitude than the likes of the Rockies and the Himalayas where it’s more susceptible to the effects of climate change. A conservative estimate of a 3% loss of the glaciers due to melting each year would render the Alps without the slopes that has made it one of the most famous skiing locations in the world.

The Romance Of Venice, Italy

The plight of Venice’ waterways has been well documented over the last 50 years. They knew their city was sinking, so they went to great lengths (and a great cost) to reverse it.

While the initial threat was due to the foundations of the city getting closer to the water levels, now the water levels are getting closer to the city. What a travesty it will be when a scene like this is confined to history…

Another Paradise Lost To The Oceans, Kiribati

Kiribati essentially sits on a network of atolls and reefs and if you haven’t noticed the pattern so far, that’s not a good thing. In fact, two of the nations islands have already met their watery end.

Kiribati’s president meets with Leonardo Di Caprio’s new documentary Before The Flood (something you really need to watch and you can in full below), speaking about the country’s plight.

Seeing the Northern Lights over land that has practically no light pollution is one of the most beautiful sights in the world…

Greenland has lost one trillion, yes one TRILLION tonnes of ice since 2011, 7% quicker than previously thought. All of this ice is flowing into the Atlantic, directly into the path of the Gulf stream. As it collides with Europe’a natural heating system, it will begin to cool causing European temperatures to plunge while everywhere else roasts.

These are some very scary times for our planet and it may turn out that the US elections are the least of our worries…